SRU may go for interim coach

Last Updated: December 4 2012, 9:24 GMT

Scottish Rugby Union chief executive Mark Dodson has indicated an interim successor to Andy Robinson is likely for the RBS 6 Nations, with Scott Johnson prepared to take on the role of head coach for the tournament.

Australian Johnson was appointed senior assistant coach by Robinson, who quit as head coach following the 21-15 loss to Tonga on November 24, leaving the SRU searching for a new boss.

"We have already received a number of applications for the job," Dodson said in The Scotsman.

"We are reviewing these as well as looking at home and abroad for the best candidate to take Scotland forward to the Rugby World Cup.

"We have the RBS Six Nations just round the corner and, given the timescales involved, we are looking at the possibility of an interim appointment as we don't want to rush into making the decision.

"The most important thing we can do is get someone in to take the team forward for the long term."

Given Johnson is under contract at Murrayfield and has held the head coach position before, at Wales and the United States Eagles, he appears to be the obvious candidate should an interim boss be appointed.

Ex-Glasgow Warriors coach Sean Lineen, now in a talent recruitment role with the SRU, is also a possible candidate.

Johnson said: "I have not had a chance to speak to the officials, but I intend to in the next week or so. That will decide where I am placed in the job and if the job suits me, and if it suits them for me to take it.

"I am secure in the fact that I have come here for a couple of years and I have only just started.

"There are plenty of good things in Scotland and plenty of hard working rugby people and there are plenty of good players. We need to start developing a game that suits us to play."